follows

1. 1
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of follow.

   The trail follows the river for several miles before turning inland.

   Each chapter follows the previous one in strict chronological order.

   Note

   The -s form agrees with a singular subject: she follows, the road follows. With I, you, we and they, the plain form follow is used instead. It carries every meaning of the verb: tracking a path, coming next in a sequence, carrying out instructions, living by a teaching, and keeping up with someone's news. In its first two meanings it can stand with or without an object (the dog follows; the dog follows us). The same spelling also serves as the plural noun.

2. 2
   noun

   Plural of follow.

   The campaign generated thousands of follows across several platforms.

   Some brands buy follows to appear more popular than they really are.

   Note

   Two quite different nouns stand behind this plural. One is a billiards stroke that sends a ball on after the ball it strikes. The other is the act of following someone's account online. The online sense is countable like a tally, so follows are gained, bought and lost. The billiards word often works attributively in the singular, as in a follow shot.

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